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This course outline is for the current semester. To view outlines from other years and/or semesters, visit the archives

1. Course Details

Summary of Course

Leading Change for Sustainability is a course designed for future leaders who are passionate about creating positive social and environmental change.

Your ideas and passion for sustainability and resilience are just the first step. You need skills in leadership, creativity, systems thinking, communication and models for cultural change so that you can influence key decision-makers, build networks and make your idea a reality. You need an awareness of change processes and an understanding of ethics and human rights to lead sustainable change, locally and globally.

How do you lead cultural change towards a sustainable future for all organisational types?

How do you pursue social and environmental goals from within a multinational company?

What are the ethical and human rights implications of cultural change?

Sustainability has become a key driver in many organisations, from large foundations of investment banks to social enterprises, not-for-profits working with government to provide services, and small to large businesses supporting their local communities.

This course explores how to create and implement sustainability strategies for different organisational types. We take a broad view of sustainability based on the Sustainable Development Goals, acknowledging the human, social, economic and environmental elements of positive cultural change.

The course uses in-depth case studies and examines complex aspects of sustainability leadership faced by leaders from business, government and civil society. As a result of the learning strategies drawn upon throughout the course, you will complete the course with a broad understanding of sustainability leadership and be able to strategically identify the keys to initiating and sustaining positive cultural change.

Teaching Times and Locations

Please note that teaching times and locations are subject to change. Students are strongly advised to refer to the Class Timetable website for the most up-to-date teaching times and locations.

The intensive classes are on campus and the remaining learning activities are online.

All students must attend ALL intensive weekend classes. If you cannot attend any of the weekend classes, you cannot enrol.

Course Aims and Relationship to Other Courses

This course aims to equip students with core leadership capacities for leading positive social change, which include: communication, conflict transformation, mindfulness, creativity, and moral courage. With a central focus on leadership for sustainability, this course directly addresses the Program Learning Outcomes of leadership development, global and cultural competence and business communication. Students will also be taught an awareness of change processes and an understanding of ethics and human rights to lead sustainable change, locally and globally. The course will use in-depth case studies and examine complex aspects of sustainability leadership faced by leaders from business, government and civil society.

Additonal Course Details

2. Quality Assurance and Course Alignment

Quality Assurance

The program is aligned to a number of international standards, to ensure the courses you study are high quality. At present, this includes designing courses to:

2. Critically evaluate personal roles in social and business structures, identifying your own leadership and communication styles and how these core capacities can be enhanced in different business contexts.

Assessment 1 : Multiple Choice/Short Answer Quiz

Assessment 2 : Critical Reflection on Leadership Practice

PLO 3: Business communication

3. Communicate written and oral ideas in a clear and succinct manner.

Assessment 2 : Critical Reflection on Leadership Practice

Assessment 3 : Leadership Simulation

PLO 4: Teamwork

4. Become familiar with conflict transformation strategies in the context of teamwork and social change.

Assessment 3 : Leadership Simulation

PLO 5: Responsible business practice

5. Recognise and apply the features of sustainable leadership practice in social change (including ethical and human rights concerns).

Assessment 1 : Multiple Choice/Short Answer Quiz

Assessment 3 : Leadership Simulation

PLO 6: Global and cultural competence

6. Reflect upon skills in building teams and networks in order to align businesses with social and environmental objectives.

Assessment 1 : Multiple Choice/Short Answer Quiz

Assessment 2 : Critical Reflection on Leadership Practice

PLO 7: Leadership development

6. Reflect upon skills in building teams and networks in order to align businesses with social and environmental objectives.

Assessment 1 : Multiple Choice/Short Answer Quiz

Assessment 2 : Critical Reflection on Leadership Practice

Assessment 3 : Leadership Simulation

2. Critically evaluate personal roles in social and business structures, identifying your own leadership and communication styles and how these core capacities can be enhanced in different business contexts.

4. Learning and Teaching Activities

Approach to Learning and Teaching in the Course

The overall pedagogical philosophy of this course is based on the belief that learning is an active process requiring engagement and immersion.

Due to the dynamic & reflective nature of leadership this course will be highly interactive and discussion-oriented. It will utilise innovative and varied learning, teaching and assessment strategies designed to apply content to practical examples and case studies.

The course assumes the ability and willingness of students to actively engage in class and to take on a multi-disciplinary approach.

Learning Activities and Teaching Strategies

This course is delivered as a blend of intensive and online learning allowing for immersive learning and teaching strategies. Typically, the course will be a mixture of short lectures, reflections, guest speakers, case studies, discussions and debates.

Course Structure

The course has online modules and intensive classes.

Your punctual attendance at all intensive classes is expected in this course. This means you are required to attend a minimum of 4 out of the 4 scheduled intensive classes. If students do not attend, they may be refused final assessment. Attendance will be taken. For more information, see: https://student.unsw.edu.au/attendance

5. Assessment

Formal Requirements

In order to pass this course, you must:

achieve a composite mark of at least 50 out of 100;

achieve a satisfactory result on any essential assessment components; and

meet any additional requirements described in the Assessment Summary section.

You are expected to attempt all assessment requirements in the course.

Assessment Structure

Assessment

Task

Weighting

Length

Due Date

Individual / Group

Assessment 1

Multiple Choice/Short Answer Quiz

15

15 questions

Complete by 5pm 27 October

Individual

Assessment 2

Critical Reflection on Leadership Practice

25

1500-word

Complete by 5pm 17 November

Individual

Assessment 3

Leadership Simulation

60

Please refer to the assessment document in Moodle

Please refer to the assessment document in Moodle

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Assessment Summary

Formal Requirements

In order to pass this course, you must achieve a composite mark of at least 50 AND achieve a satisfactory level of performance in all assessment tasks, including attendance and participation in all intensive classes. You must attend a minimum of four intensive days.

Students will complete an online quiz of 15 multiple choice and short answer questions based on the learning materials and readings from module one of the course. Students will have one hour to complete the quiz. Students will be given feedback on their results at the conclusion of the quiz deadline, once all students have completed the quiz.

Deadline: Complete by 5pm 27 October

Assessment task 2 - CRITICAL REFLECTION ON LEADERSHIP PRACTICE (25%)

Task description

Students will complete a 1500-word critical reflection on their past, present and future leadership styles and practice. The leadership reflection asks students to identify their leadership, communication and conflict transformation styles along with their associated strengths and challenges. They will then identify tools that they can use to build these capacities, and acquire others. Students are encouraged to use creative mixed media methods of presenting their leadership reflection (i.e. in the form of a video, written work, audio recording etc.). Students will receive written feedback and a final mark within two weeks of submission.

Deadline: Complete by 5pm17 November

Assessment task 3 - LEADERSHIP SIMULATION (60%)

Task description

(a) Individual oral presentation 20% Complete on 24 November

(b) Contribution to team collaboration 20% Complete during weekend workshops

(c) 2000-word written report 20% Complete by 5pm 1 December

During the second intensive weekend class, students will participate in a leadership simulation that will be completed in teams. Preparatory materials for the simulation will be provided on moodle prior to the weekend class. Each person will play a different role in the simulation and will apply the leadership skills that they have been taught. This will be assessed through the individual's presentation and responses to questions from the facilitator. There will also be a mark allocated for the individual's participation in the team in which they are allocated. Following the simulation, students will submit a written report outlining and justifying the approach they adopted. In the report, students will draw on the course theory to outline the leadership and communication styles that they utilised in the simulation, supported by case studies, evidence and examples. They will also include the ethical and human rights implications of their strategy. Students will receive written feedback and a final mark on the date of the official release of UNSW course results.

Assignment Submission Procedure

Online submission

All assignments must be submitted electronically via Turnitin on Moodle. Individual assignments submitted electronically via Turnitin do not require cover sheets. Ensure that your student ID number is in the top right hand corner of each page for individual assignments. Full information about how to prepare assignments for electronic submission can be found in the Turnitin Student Guide: http://teaching.unsw.edu.au/turnitin-students

In the unlikely event that a problem should occur when submitting assignments online, students should make sure to send their assignment to the lecturer in charge before the deadline and re-submit using Turnitin as soon as the problem is rectified. Assignments not submitted through Turnitin will not be marked.

Referencing style

Harvard Referencing is required for all your assessments. The tutorial in Week 2 will provide the opportunity to review academic integrity principles and how to reference correctly.

Instances of plagiarism will be referred to the CSI Student Ethics Officer for review and educative action as appropriate.

Marks will be deducted for inappropriate referencing.

Formatting requirements

Times New Roman, 12pt font and 1.5 line spacing is recommended.

Special Consideration

You must submit all assignments and attend all examinations scheduled for your course. You can apply for special consideration when illness or other circumstances beyond your control, interfere with your performance in a specific assessment task or tasks. Special Consideration is primarily intended to provide you with an extra opportunity to demonstrate the level of performance of which you are capable.

Please note the following:

Applications will not be accepted by teaching staff. The lecturer-in-charge/course coordinator will be automatically notified when you lodge an online application for special consideration.

Decisions and recommendations are only made by lecturers-in-charge/course coordinators (or by the Faculty Panel in the case of final exam special considerations), not by tutors.

Applying for special consideration does not automatically mean that you will be granted a supplementary exam or other concession.

Special consideration requests do not allow the awarding of additional marks to students.

Further information on Business School policy and procedure can be found under 'Special Consideration' on the Policies and Support page.

Late submissions that have not been approved will be downgraded by 5% for each day after the due date. This mean that for an assessment worth 30%, you will lose 1.5 marks each day your assignment is late.

Any piece of assessment not submitted within 10 days of the submission date will receive a zero (0).

To know more about the special consideration process and assignment extensions, refer to

Protocol for Viewing Final Exam Scripts

6. Course Resources

Links to all required and optional resources are on the reading list for your course in the UNSW Library's Leganto system, which you can access via your Moodle course. Please note you will need to login, and may be required to enter your UNSW zID and zPass in order to access the library site.

Required readings consist of core texts and their applications. Readings are chosen to provide both theoretical foundation and to illuminate their meaning and usage in professional contexts. The readings are not to be studied in detail, but designed to initiate thinking and understanding of key themes in social systems and change.

7. Course Evaluation & Development

Continual Course Improvement

-

Student Response

-

Response to Student Feedback

The student feedback in 2018 was that the assessment structure needed more clarity. In response to this feedback, the assessment details (teams for the group assessment, assessment criteria, and marking guidelines) will now be provided at the beginning of the course so that students have the chance to ask questions and obtain a clear idea of what is expected of them.

8. Course Schedule

Week

Activity

Topic

Detail/Engagement

Assessment Task

Week 1

Orientation & Intensive Class 1 : Saturday 21 Sept

Online and on campus Orientation and introduction to course

* During the week, become familiar with the moodle site

* Watch the TEDx talk

* F2F class 1 Saturday 21 September 9am- 12pm.

* Self-assessments of leadership, connection styles and drivers of behaviour

9. Policies and Support

The Business School places knowledge and capabilities at the core of its curriculum via seven Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs). These PLOs are systematically embedded and developed across the duration of all coursework programs in the Business School.

PLOs embody the knowledge, skills and capabilities that are taught, practised and assessed within each Business School program. They articulate what you should know and be able to do upon successful completion of your degree.

Upon graduation, you should have a high level of specialised business knowledge and capacity for responsible business thinking, underpinned by ethical professional practice. You should be able to harness, manage and communicate business information effectively and work collaboratively with others. You should be an experienced problem-solver and critical thinker, with a global perspective, cultural competence and the potential for innovative leadership.

All UNSW programs and courses are designed to assess the attainment of program and/or course level learning outcomes, as required by the
UNSW Assessment Design Procedure. It is important that you become familiar with the Business School PLOs, as they constitute the framework which informs and shapes the components and assessments of the courses within your program of study.

PLO 1: Business knowledge

Students will make informed and effective selection and application of knowledge in a discipline or profession, in the contexts of local and global business.

PLO 2: Problem solving

Students will define and address business problems, and propose effective evidence-based solutions, through the application of rigorous analysis and critical thinking.

PLO 3: Business communication

Students will harness, manage and communicate business information effectively using multiple forms of communication across different channels.

PLO 4: Teamwork

Students will interact and collaborate effectively with others to achieve a common business purpose or fulfil a common business project, and reflect critically on the process and the outcomes.

PLO 5: Responsible business practice

Students will develop and be committed to responsible business thinking and approaches, which are underpinned by ethical professional practice and sustainability considerations.

PLO 6: Global and cultural competence

Students will be aware of business systems in the wider world and actively committed to recognise and respect the cultural norms, beliefs and values of others, and will apply this knowledge to interact, communicate and work effectively in diverse environments.

PLO 7: Leadership development

Students will develop the capacity to take initiative, encourage forward thinking and bring about innovation, while effectively influencing others to achieve desired results.

These PLOs relate to undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs. Separate PLOs for honours and postgraduate research programs are included under 'Related Documents'.

Business School
course outlines provide detailed information for students on how the course learning outcomes, learning activities, and assessment/s contribute to the development of Program Learning Outcomes.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

UNSW Graduate Capabilities

The Business School PLOs also incorporate
UNSW graduate capabilities, a set of generic abilities and skills that all students are expected to achieve by graduation. These capabilities articulate the University’s institutional values, as well as future employer expectations.

UNSW Graduate Capabilities

Business School PLOs

Scholars capable of independent and collaborative enquiry, rigorous in their analysis, critique and reflection, and able to innovate by applying their knowledge and skills to the solution of novel as well as routine problems.

PLO 1: Business knowledge

PLO 2: Problem solving

PLO 3: Business communication

PLO 4: Teamwork

PLO 7: Leadership development

Entrepreneurial leaders capable of initiating and embracing innovation and change, as well as engaging and enabling others to contribute to change

Global citizens who are culturally adept and capable of respecting diversity and acting in a socially just and responsible way.

PLO 1: Business knowledge

PLO 2: Problem solving

PLO 3: Business communication

PLO 4: Teamwork

PLO 5: Responsible business practice

PLO 6: Global and cultural competence

While our programs are designed to provide coverage of all PLOs and graduate capabilities, they also provide you with a great deal of choice and flexibility. The Business School strongly advises you to choose a range of courses that assist your development against the seven PLOs and four graduate capabilities, and to keep a record of your achievements as part of your portfolio. You can use a portfolio as evidence in employment applications as well as a reference for work or further study. For support with selecting your courses contact the UNSW Business School
Student Centre.

Academic Integrity is honest and responsible scholarship. This form of ethical scholarship is highly valued at UNSW. Terms like Academic Integrity, misconduct, referencing, conventions, plagiarism, academic practices, citations and evidence based learning are all considered basic concepts that successful university students understand. Learning how to communicate original ideas, refer sources, work independently, and report results accurately and honestly are skills that you will be able to carry beyond your studies.

The definition of academic misconduct is broad. It covers practices such as cheating, copying and using another person’s work without appropriate acknowledgement. Incidents of academic misconduct may have serious consequences for students.

Plagiarism

UNSW regards plagiarism as a form of academic misconduct. UNSW has very strict rules regarding plagiarism. Plagiarism at UNSW is using the words or ideas of others and passing them off as your own. All Schools in the Business School have a Student Ethics Officer who will investigate incidents of plagiarism and may result in a student’s name being placed on the Plagiarism and Student Misconduct Registers.

Below are examples of plagiarism including self-plagiarism:

Copying: Using the same or very similar words to the original text or idea without acknowledging the source or using quotation marks. This includes copying materials, ideas or concepts from a book, article, report or other written document, presentation, composition, artwork, design, drawing, circuitry, computer program or software, website, internet, other electronic resource, or another person's assignment, without appropriate acknowledgement of authorship.

Inappropriate Paraphrasing: Changing a few words and phrases while mostly retaining the original structure and/or progression of ideas of the original, and information without acknowledgement. This also applies in presentations where someone paraphrases another’s ideas or words without credit and to piecing together quotes and paraphrases into a new whole, without appropriate referencing.

Collusion: Presenting work as independent work when it has been produced in whole or part in collusion with other people. Collusion includes:

Students providing their work to another student before the due date, or for the purpose of them plagiarising at any time

Paying another person to perform an academic task and passing it off as your own

Stealing or acquiring another person’s academic work and copying it

Offering to complete another person’s work or seeking payment for completing academic work

Collusion should not be confused with academic collaboration (i.e., shared contribution towards a group task).

Inappropriate Citation: Citing sources which have not been read, without acknowledging the 'secondary' source from which knowledge of them has been obtained.

Self-Plagiarism: ‘Self-plagiarism’ occurs where an author republishes their own previously written work and presents it as new findings without referencing the earlier work, either in its entirety or partially. Self-plagiarism is also referred to as 'recycling', 'duplication', or 'multiple submissions of research findings' without disclosure. In the student context, self-plagiarism includes re-using parts of, or all of, a body of work that has already been submitted for assessment without proper citation.

Cheating

The University also regards cheating as a form of academic misconduct. Cheating is knowingly submitting the work of others as their own and includes contract cheating (work produced by an external agent or third party that is submitted under the pretences of being a student’s original piece of work). Cheating is not acceptable at UNSW.

If you need to revise or clarify any terms associated with academic integrity you should explore the 'Working with Academic Integrity' self-paced lessons available at: https://student.unsw.edu.au/aim.

For information on how to acknowledge your sources and reference correctly, see: https://student.unsw.edu.au/referencing. If you are unsure what referencing style to use in this course, you should ask the lecturer in charge.

Students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to university policies in relation to class attendance and general conduct and behaviour, including maintaining a safe, respectful environment; and to understand their obligations in relation to workload, assessment and keeping informed.

Workload

It is expected that you will spend at least ten to twelve hours per week studying for a course except for Summer Term courses which have a minimum weekly workload of twenty to twenty four hours. This time should be made up of reading, research, working on exercises and problems, online activities and attending classes. In periods where you need to complete assignments or prepare for examinations, the workload may be greater. Over-commitment has been a cause of failure for many students. You should take the required workload into account when planning how to balance study with employment and other activities.

We strongly encourage you to connect with your Moodle course websites in the first week of semester. Local and international research indicates that students who engage early and often with their course website are more likely to pass their course.

Attendance

Your regular and punctual attendance at lectures and seminars or in online learning activities is expected in this course. The Business School reserves the right to refuse final assessment to those students who attend less than 80% of scheduled classes where attendance and participation is required as part of the learning process (e.g., tutorials, flipped classroom sessions, seminars, labs, etc.).

General Conduct and Behaviour

You are expected to conduct yourself with consideration and respect for the needs of your fellow students and teaching staff. Conduct which unduly disrupts or interferes with a class, such as ringing or talking on mobile phones, is not acceptable and students may be asked to leave the class.

Health and Safety

Keeping Informed

You should take note of all announcements made in lectures, tutorials or on the course web site. From time to time, the University will send important announcements to your university e-mail address without providing you with a paper copy. You will be deemed to have received this information. It is also your responsibility to keep the University informed of all changes to your contact details.

Business School Student CentreThe Business School Student Centre provides advice and direction on all aspects of admission, enrolment and graduation.Level 1, Room 1028 in the Quadrangle Building02 9385 3189

Educational Support ServiceEducational Support Advisors work with all students to promote the development of skills needed to succeed at university, whilst also providing personal support throughout the process. Check their website to request an appointment or to register in the Academic Success Program.John Goodsell Building, Ground Floor.advisors@unsw.edu.au02 9385 4734

UNSW ITUNSW IT provides support and services for students such as password access, email services, wireless services and technical support.UNSW Library Annexe (Ground floor).itservicecentre@unsw.edu.au02 9385 1333

Disability Support ServicesUNSW Disability Support Services provides assistance to students who are trying to manage the demands of university as well as a health condition, learning disability or who have personal circumstances that are having an impact on their studies. Disability Advisers can arrange to put in place services and educational adjustments to make things more manageable so that students are able to complete their course requirements. To receive educational adjustments for disability support, students must first register with Disability Services.Ground Floor, John Goodsell Building.disabilities@unsw.edu.au02 9385 4734